


LFR9 - Game 23 - Prodigal Hockey - Pvd 5, Tor 0

by DarkWaterFalls



Series: The Steve Dangle Show [2]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Analysis, Gen, Hockey, National Hockey League, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-27
Updated: 2016-03-27
Packaged: 2018-05-29 11:43:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6373411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkWaterFalls/pseuds/DarkWaterFalls
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>24th November 2015</p><p>Steve Dangle Glynn @Steve_Dangle<br/>New LFR, first meeting of the Leafs and the Falcs, is up on Youtube!</p><p>Steve Dangle Glynn @Steve_Dangle<br/>It was amazing, but I'm not happy</p>
            </blockquote>





	LFR9 - Game 23 - Prodigal Hockey - Pvd 5, Tor 0

**Author's Note:**

> A few things before we get this started: 
> 
> While this isn't a direct sequel to my initial Steve Dangle video fic, I'd recommend you read that one first, just to get an understanding of the background.
> 
> [I have built my own Providence Falconers line up, this can be found on my tumblr here.](http://clareithromycin.tumblr.com/post/141784879305/falconers-line-up-november-2015) I have such a soft spot for my fictional hockey babies, I'd like you to take a look so you can love them too.
> 
> Obviously, these videos are based on real videos, Steve Dangle is a real person who I have no connection to, and any similarities to real life events are completely coincidental.
> 
> If you'd like to see the two reports on the Toronto Maple Leafs games that come before and after this game, they can be found at the links below:  
> [LFR9 - Game 22- Marchand Orders - Bos 4, Tor 3 (SO)](https://youtu.be/NuiGz1cdy94)  
> [LFR9 - Game 23 - Voodoo Mistakes - Wsh 4, Tor 2](https://youtu.be/uVYD0EUSWjI)

Providence Falconers (@FalconersNHL)

Forward lines tonight:

Mashkov – Zimmermann – Blackett

Finder – Galante – Hartnall

Houthakker – Nilsson – Allison

Collins – Lindberg – Jokinen

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Providence Falconers (@FalconersNHL)

D-pairs:

Bonventre – Seabrook

James – Ostrovsky

Boudin – Takala

Slavik is starting in net, Renaud on the bench

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Danny D (@Falcsfan19)

@FalconersNHL lol nice to c ozzie n kells made it 2 the plane in teim

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Hockeyrrrrrriot (@singingfromthetowers)

@FalconersNHL it’s great to see you in Toronto, we’ve travelled from Detroit for this!

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Leafs Fans Unite! (@Torontoleafboys)

@FalconersNHL LETS SEE ZIMMERMANN CHOKE ON CANADIAN ICE GO LEAFS GO

 

&

 

Darius Bridges (@FalcsEquipmentTeam)

Putting on the new additions to the Zimmermann jersey for tonight! Proud of our new Alternate!

[Cannot display photo]

 

&

 

Bob (@BadBobZimmermann)

Alicia and I are a little far from home today. Shhhh, don’t tell Jack!

 

&

 

Steve appears on the right, looking confused towards the left.

 

Hat Guy appears, scrolling through his phone. “Twenty nine, thirty, thirty one, thirty two, thirty…”

 

Flicks back to Steve. “What’re you doing?”

 

Hat Guy stops counting, “I’m seeing how many people got selfies with Bad Bob yesterday. There’s a LOT.”

 

Steve grins. “I know! I got one with him AND Jack AND Alicia.”

 

Hat Guy’s mouth drops open, and his phone slips out of his hand to the floor.

 

[INTRO MUSIC]

 

Steve grins at the camera. Then his expression begins to break down. Then he drops his head into his hands and lets out a soft fake sob. “I don’t know how to feel about this, guys! I really don’t.”

 

Drops hands. Sighs. “Leafs lose! More than that, Leafs are shut out – five-nil – against the Providence Falconers.

 

“I made sure I was at this game, guys. I made sure I had no other commitments, made sure Sportsnet KNEW I was going, got lucky with decent seats, got my Leafs jersey on, and…”

 

Steve shakes his head. “We lost. Again.

 

“And it was probably one of the best games of hockey I’ve seen in ages. I mean, we lost. But we didn’t play badly, we played coherently, we were present. We just weren’t the better team.

 

“Providence was the better team.

 

“And they wiped the ice clean with us.”

 

Steve presses his lips together, annoyed. “That’s why I’m torn. I love hockey. That was good hockey.

 

“BUT WE STILL LOST.”

 

Steve sighs. “I was there, at the game, got fancy seats behind the bench, payed attention to every play, and then came home and re-watched the entire game. TWICE. (Mrs Dangle was very annoyed with me, you think she’d be resigned to this by now, don’t you?)

 

“And you know what?

 

“I think I’ve held it in long enough. It’s been seven months. I’ve bided my time and nothing had happened, I think I’m entitled to gloat.”

 

Steve throws his hands into the air. “I WAS RIGHT ABOUT JACK ZIMMERMANN.

 

“In your face, people who doubted him, I was right!”

 

Steve drops his hands and contorts his face. “Though I’m not really pleased with how well he proved it last night. I mean, he could’ve taken a break at some point.

 

“So, yeah. I’ve seen this game about four times now. Watched and re-watched each play, and agonised over the goals, but that also means I can give you a good account.

 

“So, the Leafs tonight. Almost the same line up as went up against the Bruins yesterday, except Marincin is in for Harrington, and Reimer isn’t in net, it’s Bernier.” Steve frowns at the camera, a glum expression on his face. “I mean, it doesn’t appear like an awful goalkeeping call on the surface, Reimer just did two straight against the Bruins. We’ve also got a Caps game coming up next, they may want to rest Reimer tonight and play him against the Caps. And Bernier needs a chance in goal occasionally, to prove that he can still do it.”

 

Steve throws his hands in the air. “And there we go, ninety seconds into the game. He’s just started to prove to me that he may not be ready just yet.”

 

Steve scoffs. “I mean, no, that’s unfair of me. He blocked two shots in the first ninety seconds. The Falcs walked all over the Leafs, Galante skated around Phaneuf like he wasn’t there, and their passes connected well, resulting in Bernier having to pull saves out of his ass right away in the first minute.

 

“I mean, if you shoot the puck, something has to go in at some point, right?

 

“And boy does it go in. Rookie Ostrovsky passes the puck to Zimmermann, a lovely tap that slides between the legs of Rielly, as if it was just open ice between them, and BAM! One timer - almost feels like a slapshot with the speed it’s got - towards the net.”

 

Steve chokes a laugh. “I mean, it almost takes Bernier’s head clean off, deflects off his mask, and it’s a goal.

 

“Zimmermann has his first goal against the Leafs, Ostrovsky has his first career point against the Leafs, and play is stopped as Bernier has to skate to the bench to get one of the staff to check his mask. Otherwise, he’s alright, and back in net in moments.

 

“There was a Falcs fan in front of me who just burst into tears when we watched the replay. I mean, it was a beautiful pass, I don’t know why really, but he didn’t really stop crying all night.

 

“Things heat up a lot as the minutes pass, there’s a lot more movement on the ice, the Leafs start pushing towards the Falcs’ end and Slavik actually has to earn his pay check and make a few saves. There’s a lovely wrister from Komarov, beautiful shot, but Komarov is forced to shoot faster than he wants to by Bonventre and it plays right into the glove of Slavik.

 

“The Falcs d-men seem to be everywhere whenever the Leafs try to move the puck and shoot, blocking shots, redirecting things away. And that’s if the Leafs even get the puck.

 

“It seems that everyone on the Leafs scramble when Zimmermann gets ready to take a faceoff, because they know that the play is probably gonna be headed to their zone soon, and they need to be ready.”

 

Steve scoffs a laugh. “And I’m not even mad at that, because it’s not as if that’s just something that the Leafs have to do. Did you see the Falcs wrong-footing the Rangers a few weeks ago? Man… that was embarrassing. Right off a Zimmermann face off, over Lundqvist’s shoulder, and into the goal before most of the players had even registered where the puck was. Textbook play, perfectly executed.

 

“So things are getting scrabbly, getting a little scrappy at times, and we get the first penalty call of the game. Phaneuf does something really ill-advised and is called for slashing against Bonventre, and I gather that Bonventre (who, despite only being 23, already has a “history” with Phaneuf) said something a little inflammatory, and before we know it… they’re both being called for roughing too.”

 

Steve leans in, gleeful. “Now, I noticed something here, and it made me laugh so hard that I had to go back and check again. You know how, when a fight sets off sometimes players pair off against another opposition player, almost circling each other?” Steve grins widely. “Oh, yes. Peter Holland, would’ve gone in the same draft year as Jack Zimmermann, roughly the same size and weight as Zimmermann himself, tries to _prevent_ Zimmermann getting into the fight. And Zimmermann doesn’t move. Holland gets a hand on his jersey, tries to circle with him, and Zimmermann doesn’t budge on the ice. Plants his feet, wedges his stick, not an inch was given.

 

Steve throws his head back and laughs. “There was a cameraman sitting in a perfect position to catch the look that Zimmermann sends Holland. It was an ice cold, I-have-an-A-on-my-chest, look of disapproval.” Steve giggles. “Holland drops his grip on the jersey and just skates away to the bench. Beautiful.

 

“So, Phaneuf boxed for four, slashing and roughing, Bonventre boxed for two, roughing. Falcs eventually on the power play.

 

“And Houthakker scores, deflection off Boyes, into the goal. Power play goal, Phaneuf is released, and the horn for the end of the period goes forty five seconds later.

 

“Falcs are up two-nil after the first, have three times the number of shots on goal and faceoff wins as the Leafs, and are playing the kind of inspiring hockey that gets people interested in the sport.” Steve shrugs. “I can’t fault it personally. But if _you_ want to, _you_ can sneer about the Falcs getting fair-weather fans, all their games selling out, people suddenly being interested because of Jack’s pretty face…

 

“But you really can’t hate on the hockey, guys. The Falcs play a tight game.

 

“Now, we all saw that tweet from Bad Bob, guessed he’d be in Toronto for the game, and guessed he’d be up somewhere in the VIP box, hidden away.”

 

Steve scrunches up his face in disbelief. “Nope. No, he didn’t. He’s out of the VIP box during the break. He and Alicia, in their matching Jack Zimmermann Falconers jerseys, are taking pictures with kids up by the concession stands.

 

Steve drops his head into his hands. “The pictures are going up on the big screen, and I could just watch the pandemonium happening from my seat. Half the arena is standing up, dropping food, and trying to figure out where the pictures have been taken.

 

“Then my phone buzzes at me. Bob Zimmermann has just tweeted a photo, a smiling selfie of him and Alicia, safely back in the VIP box and thanking the Falcs PR account for organising a meeting with some Falcs fans.

 

“The tweet goes up on the screen, and you can just see the arena deflate.”

 

Steve chuckles and shakes his head. “Canadian hockey fans, we’re a real stereotype.

 

“So, onto the second. More shots on goal, from both sides. Ostrovsky gets called for high sticking three minutes in, and the Leafs go on the Power Play.

 

“The Falcs’ first PK unit is Mashkov, Zimmermann, Bonventre and Seabrook, and they’re dangerous. The stats show it, they push hard, they don’t just stop shots, they’re particularly good at preventing them from developing, and god forbid if you should turn over the puck to them…”

 

Steve throws up his hands. “Like the Leafs just did, fifty seconds into the Power Play. Parenteau turns over the puck, Seabrook gets a stick on it, and before you know it, it’s over to Jack and he’s weaving up the ice on a breakaway, Phaneuf hot on his heels.

 

“The Falcs fans in the arena are _screaming,_ the noise is quite simply _incredible._ I tell you, it felt like that moment lasted forever, it still feels like I could go back and recapture it, the energy of it, the power behind the voices, as Jack streaks up the ice faster than seems possible. Zimmermann lines up towards the goal to shoot, and attempts to go five-hole on Bernier at speed.

 

“And god bless Bernier.” Steve slumps and sighs, shocked. “I don’t know how he did it, but he stops it! No one can see the puck, but it’s not in the goal. The whistle goes, there’s a close up shot of Zimmermann frowning as he loops around the back of the net, looking at Bernier’s back, and Bernier stands up to release the puck from underneath his pad. There’s a pause in the noise of the arena as everyone lets it sink in.

 

“And then the Leafs fans _explode_. It’s a beautiful save, Bernier’s reactions were perfect, on a puck travelling that fast…

 

“Problem is,” Steve grimaces, “Jack Zimmermann seems to take this personally. His line definitely takes it personally, and you can just see, you can watch as they slowly dial up their game.” Steve makes a twisting gesture with his hand. “Turning the screw on the Leafs.

 

“The speed increases, the passes get tighter. The Leafs had had a decent start to the period, but soon enough they begin to see less and less of the puck, less and less of the Falcs’ zone. The Falcs are pushing hard into the Leafs’ space, forcing them to defend Bernier from the offensive. The momentum just builds and builds and builds with each Falcs line change, and they’re just _pummelling_ the Leafs into submission.

 

“I mean, it was inevitable,” Steve shrugs, “something was going to go in. And when it did, it was a lovely little shot, simple and on target. Wrist shot, over the pad and under the glove of Bernier, and Zimmermann gets his second goal of the game.

 

“And suddenly, the Leafs have room to breathe. The constant pressure of the Falcs offence has let off.

 

“I mean, not completely. But you can feel it in the arena, the frantic air that inhabited the last few minutes has gone, and everyone feels a little dazed, players and fans alike. But if the Falcs bench can be described as looking wilted, it’s nothing compared to the Leafs. Van Riemsdyk is chugging water like a dying man, and Rielly has his head resting on his stick, shoulders heaving as he tries to get his breathing under control.

 

“The Falcs are pushing the Leafs to their limit, they’re playing fantastically, challenging the Leafs at every opportunity, absolutely dominating the battle for the puck. But it doesn’t convert into anything, the Leafs are holding up, but only just barely.” Steve raises his hand in front of his face, thumb and forefinger millimetres apart. “Barely.

 

“And eventually, something goes a little wrong for the Falcs again, just before the end of the second. Nilsson gets called for holding, heads to the box, and the Leafs go on the Power Play again.

 

“The Leafs begin to push back into the Falcs’ zone, achieve more shots on goal in the final forty five seconds than they’d had in the previous five minutes.

 

“Then the horn sounds, and you can practically hear the sighs of relief from the ice. The moans from the teams as everyone teeters down the tunnel.

 

“Bad Bob doesn’t do anything during the second intermission, waves at the cameras a bit, but has probably realised that he’s pushed his luck. The Falcs upload a nice little interview with Bob and Alicia onto twitter, they talk about how proud they are of Jack, how happy they are to be here to support him, and the internet has a bit of a meltdown.

 

“Third period starts with the Leafs on the Power Play for another seventy seconds, which the Falcs kill quickly. They begin dominating again, moving the play to the Leafs’ zone, and pushing towards the goal.

 

“The Falcs twitter uploads a gif of Slavik in net, shifting from skate to skate, and then examining his glove.”

 

Steve gives the camera an unimpressed look. “Thanks Falconers twitter, show me your goalie just chilling. Just kick a man while he’s down, why don’t you?

 

“But the discussion all around me during the third was all about Zimmermann. He’s dominating, he’s setting an example for the team, he’s the backbone, he’s deserving of that A on his chest.”

 

Steve snorts. “As if I’d let anyone believe anything different in my presence.

 

“But then the magic words swing around. Hat trick. And I can feel the mood shift.

 

“I mean, you never want your team to suffer the injustice of having a hat trick scored against you. It’s horrible, it hurts, and you feel bad for your goalie and your team.

 

“But balance that out with the possibility of being able to say that you were there for Zimmermann-the-younger’s first NHL career hat trick?” Steve bites his lip. “That’d be a story to tell. That’d be quite a story to tell.

 

“So, there I was, watching the game, resigned to the fact that we were gonna lose, lose badly, and being torn apart by the fact that I almost _wanted_ us to lose worse so I could see Jack Zimmermann get a hat trick.”

 

Steve shakes his head. “This team, man. This is exactly what being a Leafs fan is like.

 

“So, Kadri ices the puck, face off in the Leafs’ zone. Zimmermann steps up to the dot, gets the puck to Bonventre, who scoops it over the blade of Hunwick’s stick, and on to Mashkov. Mashkov does a neat bit of skating, gets all up in Bernier’s business. Bernier deflects a shot off his pad, but can’t get a glove on it. Jack catches the puck on his blade, meters from the crease, and you can hear the crowd, the whole arena, realise what has happened, and we all collectively take in a breath.”

 

Steve presses a fist to his lips and says, muffled. “And Jack passes it back to Mashkov.

 

“Mashkov is in the right place at the right time, catches the pass, soft as anything, and just tips it in over Bernier’s pad. Four-nil.

 

“They’re cellying on the ice, and all I can think is that Jack is such a nice player, such a kind player. (I mean, to his own team, definitely not to the opposing team.) He could’ve got his hatty, could’ve had all the headlines and accolades that went with it, but he passed it to his linemate and gave them the goal. That’s team playing, right there, that’s a lack of ego, a player who plays purely and unselfishly.

 

“I know what he said in his post-game interviews, I know he said he didn’t have a clear shot. That he didn’t feel confident enough in his line of sight, and he knew that Bernier was distracted by him, and that Mashkov was in a perfect position for the goal. I know that.

 

“But he didn’t have to do that. And that’s what makes Zimmermann a fantastic player. It’s not just about what he does, it’s about what he chooses to do, and how he chooses to do it. He chooses to do it as a team, as a Falconer.

 

“So, break in play for commercials. Zimmermann is on the ice, and he leaves Mashkov chatting with Ostrovsky on the bench to skate along the ice towards the Leafs’ bench.

 

“I’m watching this, confused, asking: ‘where’s Jack going?’

 

“So, Jack rocks up to the end of the bench, right in front of me, leans over the closed door, and starts chatting with Reimer. I can’t see Reimer’s face, his backs to me, but I can see Jack smiling and nodding.

 

“It’s over in moments, Jack is skating off, and I don’t know if anyone else noticed.

 

“I got a chance to ask Jack later though and - with Bad Bob smiling in the background - he told me that Bob had rescued Reimer from something in Montreal last summer, and Bob had asked Jack to check in on him.”

 

Steve throws his hands in the air. “So he does it on NHL ice, during a commercial break, just a casual chat. ‘My dad was asking after you.’

 

“You can’t make this stuff up.

 

“Jack doesn’t get any more big chances for the rest of the period. Bernier deflects a couple more shots, things go wide, and Slavik gloves pucks from Grabner, Matthias and Parenteau. All in all, good attempts by the Leafs, Slavik is just too fast for them.

 

“Phaneuf sets off a lovely slapshot from pretty far out, but it’s deflected off if Boudin’s leg and goes wide of the net. Boudin hobbles back to the bench.

 

“The Leafs pull Bernier for the extra attacker in the last two minutes, and the Leafs keep play in the Falcs’ end for a while. Then Seabrook gets a pass out to Jokinen, and he’s off down the ice on his own. He shoots the puck towards the empty net, scores, and the buzzer goes five seconds after.

 

“Five-nil.” Steve shakes his head. “You can’t make this stuff up.”

 

&

 

Providence Falconers (@FalconersNHL)

Your stats after three periods of play!

Falcs       38        12          32              5

             Shots     Hits    Faceoffs    Goals

Leafs       16        19          18              0

 

&

 

Providence Falconers (@FalconersNHL)

Scoring summary:

Zimmermann: 2G, 1A

Mashkov: 1G, 1A

Jokinen: 1G

Houthakker: 1G

Blackett: 2A

Seabrook: 1A

Ostrovsky: 1A

Bonventre: 1A

Allison: 1A

 

&

 

Providence Falconers (@FalconersNHL)

Three stars, three birds!

* = Jack Zimmermann

** = Alexei Mashkov

*** = Ota Slavik


End file.
